A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of control of microorganisms in the butchering of fowl.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Ozone has been suggested as an antimicrobial in poultry chiller water by Shelton, et al., Efficacy of Ozone as a Disinfectant for Poultry Carcasses and Chill Water, Journal of Food Science, Volume 51, No. 2, 1986.
Use of 60.degree. C. water and 200 ppm chlorine or 2.5% potassium sorbate were suggested to control Salmonella in chicken by Morrison, et al., Reduction of Salmonella on Chicken Carcasses by Immersion Treatments, Journal of Food Protection, Vol, 48, November 1985.
Chlorination of poultry spray washer or chiller tank water was discussed in Bailey, et al., Contamination of Poultry during Processing, The Microbiology of Poultry Meat Products, Chapter 5, pp. 193, et. seq. and Chlorine Spray Washing to Reduce Bacterial Contamination of Poultry Processing Equipment, 1986 Poultry Science 65:1120-1123.
The state of the art in the field of preservation of poultry products was described by Cunningham, Methods of Preservation of Poultry Products, The Microbiology of Poultry Meat Products, Copyright 1987 by Academic Press Inc., pp. 275, et. seq.
The use of an acid polyformate salt to eliminate Salmonella during poultry processing was patented by Parker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,646.
The use of salt water, antimicrobials, and antioxidants in poultry processing are described by Brockington, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,370.
Sodium chloride and potassium sorbate were used to control microbial growth in poultry by Sofos, Antimicrobial Activity and Functionality of Reduced Sodium Chloride and Potassium Sorbate in Uncured Poultry Products, Journal of Food Science, Volume 51, No. 1, 1986, p. 16.
Organic N-halamines of the classes oxazolidinones and imidazolidones were shown to be useful as poultry processing antimicrobials by Smith, et al., Potential Uses of Combined Halogen Disinfectants in Poultry Processing, 1990 Poultry Science 69:1590-1594 and Williams, et al., Research Note: Combined Halogen Disinfectants in Poultry Processing, 1990 Poultry Science 69:2248-2251.
Except for the aforementioned organic N-halamines, the use of bromine chemistry has not been suggested for poultry processing antimicrobials.
Bromine chemistry is a very well known alternative to chlorine chemistry in other fields, e.g., industrial (i.e., cooling towers, condensers, etc.) and municipal systems (wastewater, etc.). Sodium bromide supplementation of chlorine and bromochlorodimethylhydantoin (BCDMH) were studied by Alleman, et al., 54 Comparative Evaluation of Alternative Halogen-Based Disinfection Strategies, 42nd Purdue University Industrial Waste Conference Proceedings, pp. 519, and Sergent, Enhanced Water Management Using Bromine Chemistry, presented at the 1986 Cooling Tower Institute Annual Meeting, Houston, Tex., Jan. 27-29, 1988 as Technical Paper Number TP-86-9.
Combinations of chlorine-bromide, chlorine dioxide-bromide, and monochloramine-bromide were studied as reported by Cooper, et al., Bromide-Oxidant Interactions and THM Formation: A Literature Review, Management and Operations, Journal AWWA, pp. 116, but again, no suggestion regarding poultry processing was made.
Finally, the use of hypobromous acid formed from bromine replacement of hypochlorous acid was patented by Schlid, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,999, for removal of mussels and barnacles from salt or brackish water.
Cost is a major factor in the fowl butchering industry. In the poultry processing industry, about 200 to 400 ppm of chlorine is most typically used in the chill tank to prevent cross contamination and to extend the shelf life of the butchered poultry, as described by Cunningham, supra. Chlorine has certain disadvantages and limitations, however. For example, the amount which can be practically used is limited by chlorine's affect on the carcass. Another limitation is the need to limit the amount of chlorine in the effluent due to adverse environmental affect on groundwater and the like.
Other processes which have been suggested, for example the use of N-halamines by Smith, et al, and Williams, et al, supra, have disadvantages in that they are relatively expensive and are thus considered inefficient in the industry.